lyonsacc
Member
I haven't gotten to turn much lately. Only 8 or 9 pens so far this year. Earlier this year and last year I bought a number of really sweet blanks (snake skin, watch part, computer, feather, etc . . .) and have been aching to turn them. Over the weekend I had some time, so I was able to turn 4 sierras down to size. Last night I had a few minutes, so I went downstairs to turn a couple more. Everything had gone well the other day so I thought I would try the watch part blank and a computer blank. This is my first watch part blank (and most expensive single blank I think I have ever turned). Things were going well. One end needed about 1 millimeter more and the other about .3 millimeter to get down to the size I like to start sanding at. Measured the ends with calipers and put back on the lathe. Turned a little off and measured again. Apparently I got the ends confused and took the larger amount off the end that needed less taken off. Now it is .3 mm to small on one end. Will need to rebuild the end with some CA. Ugh. I can deal with that, but it turns a 45 minute job into a 1 or 2 hour job. So I put some medium CA on the skinny end and pick up the next blank, a black computer chip. I've turned 4 or 5 of these over the years and know they chip out pretty easily, so I was taking my time and sure enough I here that chipping sound. Stop the lathe, it chipped out all the way to the computer chip. Ugh - again. Hit with some medium CA to rebuild the thickness. Turned a 45 minute job into a 2 hour job. . .
At this point I know better than to try anything else. So I start to vacuum up the mess on the floor that I had made and BAM! Smacked my bald head on a sharp corner of a bench. Not much blood, but a beautiful skinned spot - front and center. Ugh!
I'll spend the next couple of days slowly building these 2 blanks back up. Maybe get to attack them again over the weekend. Or, on second thought, I might just sand and polish some of the others I turned the other day.
Maybe I should have walked away after the 1st mistake . . .
Dave
At this point I know better than to try anything else. So I start to vacuum up the mess on the floor that I had made and BAM! Smacked my bald head on a sharp corner of a bench. Not much blood, but a beautiful skinned spot - front and center. Ugh!
I'll spend the next couple of days slowly building these 2 blanks back up. Maybe get to attack them again over the weekend. Or, on second thought, I might just sand and polish some of the others I turned the other day.
Maybe I should have walked away after the 1st mistake . . .
Dave
